


Let's Go Find Your Horse

by Origami_Roses



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Can be read as FrostIron, Gen, aesir!tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:47:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29072784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Origami_Roses/pseuds/Origami_Roses
Summary: ... they eventually find Thor and the W3+S making camp. Both Anthony's gelding and Loki's mare are decorated with (mostly unnecessary) bandages, which they use an an excuse to cut the trip short and return home the next day. They listen to Thor and friends boast around the campfire about their fight, and neither of them bother to even try and convince the group that a quiet hike through the forest was every bit as enjoyable in its own way. Nor do they mention chasing squirrels, climbing trees and catching tadpoles just for fun. And the carefully collected bundles of rare and unusual medicinal and magical plants currently stashed in Loki's pocket dimension remain similarly unremarked upon.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Let's Go Find Your Horse

Thor had picked up another flunkey. Oh, joy. It seemed Anthony Howartsson was an acquaintance of Fandral and had met Thor through him. And now Thor had invited the man along on this ~~Grand Adventure~~ pointless hunting trip. Yay. Great. Yet another muscle-bound meathead to deal with, Norns help him.

With the ease of long practice Loki tuned out the conversation _(different styles of battle axes... boring.)_ and let his mare have her head, knowing she'd stay with the other horses. He let himself sink into a light meditative trance to practice tracking the pulse of life energies around them. It was a relatively new skill, and he couldn't yet do it while fully aware - Frigga had warned him that very few ever consistently managed that, so of course that was his eventual goal. It was interesting, feeling the birds react to their presence and either freeze or take flight, the fox that was slinking away, the wild sow and her piglets rooting in a nearby clearing, the dire wo- Oh, shit! 

Loki threw himself out of his trance, barely managing to shout a warning and get a hasty shield spell up as his mare reared in fright, throwing him and bolting as a pair of dire wolves leapt to attack. Fortunately, the wolves were distracted by the others instead of immediately pouncing on him. They wouldn't have gotten through his shield, but it still wouldn't have been pleasant, especially with the way his whole body hurt from hitting a tree on the way down and his head was ringing from so abruptly pulling himself to full consciousness. He could hear Thor laughing boisterously as he led the pack of idiots after the now-retreating predators and decided that just sitting for a few minutes would be a good idea. He could always find the others later. Keeping his shield up, he didn't even try to re-establish his trance state, content to just watch the leaves of the tree he was leaning against shimmer in the breeze and letting his head clear. 

The arrow shattering against his shield was a complete surprise and he snapped his head up to find Anthony a few paces away with his bow up and a completely gobsmacked look on his face. Loki glared at him. How dare he?! He readied a bolt of magic to strike Thor's new friend down when the _third_ dire wolf struck from behind, bouncing off his shield just as the arrow had. 

Oh. That changed things. Loki immediately switched targets, and sent a powerful bolt of green light through the shield, hitting the wolf before it could properly regain its feet, just as a second arrow flew through the air, finding its target in the beast's flank. Anthony moved closer to Loki and he extended his shield to protect the man, placing a restraining hand on his bowarm and watching as the wolf struggled to its feet, shaking its head. "If its willing to flee, let it." 

"What? Why?" 

Loki cast a misty red fog around the wolf's head - a spell of fear and confusion - and it took off, howling. "We're far enough from the nearest villages that they aren't likely to be a threat to people or livestock, dire wolf tastes awful, and it's the wrong season for good-quality furs. If the pigs back that way haven't been scared off, they'd make a much better meal." 

"We could have roast pig for supper!? Why didn't you mention them earlier?" 

"Because I know from experience that Thor considers hunting wild piglets poor sport. He wanted to hunt today because he's _bored_ , not hungry. A wild boar he might agree to, but not mere piglets. No glory in that." 

"Ah. Shall we leave the glory-hungry idiots to their fun and go seek our horses, then? The one Thor lent me was being all twitchy and fidgety even before I dismounted to see if you were ok. I doubt it's still where I left it." 

"Thor lent you a horse? If it was from the palace stables it will probably end up with his group - horses prefer to be with their herd and it doesn't sound like it was spooked into bolting like my mare was. Once she's had a chance to calm down a bit, I can call her back easily enough. You'd be welcome to borrow her - I can get myself home with little difficulty. No need for you to miss the excitement." 

The man snorted. "If its all the same to you, I'd prefer to stay with the Prince who's less likely to get me stupidly killed." 

"I thought you were friends with Thor?" 

"Nope. I'm here for the same reason you are - dragged against my will." 

"There are few who would say that. Most people flock to Thor and would be proud to call themselves his friend." 

The other Aesir gave him a strange look. "That's not really true, you know. There are few who'd say that _to his face_ , but the truth is Thor just doesn't hear 'no' very well. And he's hard to dissuade and easy to anger. He's every bit as manipulative as you are, but at least you admit what you do. Thor is convinced that people do as he demands because it's his rightful due and that they do it all willingly - eagerly, even. Aside from his fellow idiots and sycophants, few look to him for guidance or ideas. He is universally lauded as the Aesir ideal - from a distance." 

"You would choose me over Thor?" The mere idea was confusing. Nobody chose him. Especially not over Thor. 

"When it comes to keeping people around you alive and getting them out of danger, hell yes. Indiscriminate smashing and stabbing is not much of a strategy, and neither is refusing to take a step back or down." 

Loki laughed. "Perhaps we _should_ leave the others to their fun and look for our horses - why, who knows how far they may have strayed? As we are on foot, it could take most of the day to track them down. I ask your pardon in advance if you are denied the chance at a 'glorious battle'."

"Oh, dear," Anthony said drily, "How will I ever survive _not_ putting myself in needless peril?"

**Author's Note:**

> ... they eventually find Thor and the W3+S making camp. Both Anthony's gelding and Loki's mare are decorated with (mostly unnecessary) bandages, which they use an an excuse to cut the trip short and return home the next day. They listen to Thor and friends boast around the campfire about their fight, and neither of them bother to even try and convince the group that a quiet hike through the forest was every bit as enjoyable in its own way. Nor do they mention chasing squirrels, climbing trees and catching tadpoles just for fun. And the carefully collected bundles of rare and unusual medicinal and magical plants currently stashed in Loki's pocket dimension remain similarly unremarked upon.


End file.
